International Entertainment News: Electus International Unveils Scripted Television Slate For MIPTV 2012 Global Marketplace

Electus International Unveils Scripted Television Slate For MIPTV 2012 Global Marketplace

NEW YORK, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ben Silverman's multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today unveiled highlights of its scripted television programming slate. These include the priority titles from an ever-growing slate that will be brought to market at MIPTV in Cannes, France, which begins on April 1st. This new block of television programming includes original series concepts developed by Electus and its creative partners, as well as successful third party international formats that Electus has acquired for both international distribution and U.S. production.

"From comedies and dramas to epic action/adventure series, our diverse set of scripted programming demonstrates our Company's ongoing commitment to creating premium, creative content that resonates with TV audiences around the world," said Chris Grant, CEO of Electus. "We look forward to working with our domestic and international partners to bring these stories to life on a global scale."

Electus' block of original scripted programming includes:

-- MARCO POLO: Written and created by John Fusco, Marco Polo is a
fantastical new martial arts epic about the thirteenth century explorer,
chronicling the famous adventurer's early years in the court of Kublai
Khan. Conscripted into service as the ruler's spy, ambassador, and
explorer, young Polo is trained in the scholar-warrior tradition of
thirteenth century China. In a court filled with political betrayal and
forbidden relationships, Marco must use his martial arts training to
survive, but it is his ability to enchant Khan with imaginative tales of
his kingdom that is often his best tool to stay alive. Marco Polo is a
series order (10 hours) with Starz in association with The Weinstein
Company that will air in the U.S. on Starz Premium Network. Electus
(Ben Silverman, Jimmy Fox), The Weinstein Company (Harvey Weinstein, Bob
Weinstein, Meryl Poster), John Fusco and Dave Erickson (Son's of
Anarchy) will executive produce. Erickson will co-show run the epic
adventure series with Fusco. Electus and The Weinstein Company will
co-distribute Marco Polo internationally.
-- CASCA: Based on the cult favorite book series by Barry Sadler, this
action/adventure series follows Casca, a soldier who was cursed into a
life of immortality by Jesus Christ on the day of the crucifixion. For
2000 years, Casca has battled the Brotherhood of the Lamb with the fate
of the world hanging in the balance, becoming history's ultimate
warrior. Now in present day, the Biblical signs and wonders are
returning, and the Second Coming is at last at hand. Casca will need to
find and protect the chosen mother to insure the Messiah's birth, and,
with it, his own merciful death. Jason Smilovic (My Own Worst Enemy,
Kidnapped and Lucky Number Slevin) will write the pilot and executive
produce. Electus (Ben Silverman, Jimmy Fox), Michael Taddross, Jr. and
Phil Ferrara will executive produce.
-- THE LAM: Written, directed and executive produced by Wayne Kramer (The
Cooler), The Lam is a dark drama set in modern day Chicago centered
around The Lambert Arms, a full service hotel for criminals. Whether it
is money laundering, rescue from the scene of a crime or identity
transformation, the hotel offers a refuge for criminals on "the lam."
The show's lead character is Phil Donagan, the hotel's general manager
who must deal with the Chicago mob heads, the crooked cops and the
criminals staying under his watch, all the while trying to shield his
wife and young daughter from his work life. The Lam is executive
produced by Electus (Ben Silverman, Chris Grant, Jimmy Fox), Chris
Philip (Engine Entertainment), Kramer and Renee Tab of Sentient. Muse
Entertainment Enterprises, Inc. is the Canadian Production Company on
the series with Executive Producers, Joel S. Rice and Michael Prupas.
-- CRUX: Written by Rod Lurie and Marc Frydman (Commander in Chief, Straw
Dogs, The Last Castle, The Contender), The Crux is a drama whose
revolutionary concept explores the mystery surrounding George Gabbler, a
polished and enigmatic cult leader. The series traces Gabbler's past
from his shady beginnings as a community college art professor to his
transformation into a powerful, charismatic leader whose empire of
55,000 followers worldwide now threatens to unravel. The Crux is
executive produced by Electus (Ben Silverman, Chris Grant, Jimmy Fox),
Chris Philip (Engine Entertainment), Kevin Spacey and Scott Lambert.
Shaftesbury is the Canadian Production Company on the series.
-- WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR: Created by hit director Pierre Morel (Taken) and
British writer Stewart Harcourt (Jericho), William the Conqueror is a
historical epic series following the iconic French monarch through his
rise to power and invasion of England in 1066. The series will be
infused with a contemporary style, depicting The Conqueror as the
world's first gangster. Electus (Ben Silverman, Chris Grant, Jimmy Fox),
Chris Philip (Engine Entertainment), Pierre Morel and Renee Tab will
executive produce.
Electus has also acquired the rights to distribute various successful international formats for global and domestic distribution, including:

-- BLUE NATALIE: Based off of an Israeli format (DBS) created by Avner
Bernheimer and Guy Sidis, Blue Natalie is a dynamic drama series
centered around a family who runs a busy sex trafficking business out of
their yacht (Blue Natalie) that is supposedly used to accommodate
honeymooning couples, bar mitzvah parties and birthday celebrations.
The series highlights the events that befall the main characters as the
world of women trafficking and prostitution runs parallel with the
normative, bourgeois lives they lead with their families. Electus has
set the format up in the U.S. with Lifetime Network. Wendy West (Dexter,
The Closer, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) will write and executive
produce the adaptation.
-- WORLD'S END: Based off of a successful Icelandic format (Channel 2)
produced and created by Sagafilm, World's End is a dark comedy set in
1992 at an isolated mental hospital on the outskirts of Reykjavík. The
hospital, referred to as 'World's End' is a last resort for many mental
patients, many of whom consider it a home. Elementary school teacher,
Einar, is committed against his will after a severe nervous breakdown
during which he had to be coaxed down from a rooftop, stark naked.
Einar is unhappy about his stay at the hospital. He is critical about
how things are run and before long he's gotten most of the patients on
his side, rooting for change. Finally, fed up with his arguments
falling on deaf ears, he stages a revolution and takes over the
hospital, declaring it a state within a state, a Utopia for the mentally
ill.
-- ZANZURI: Based of off of a successful Israeli format (DBS) created by
Yuval Fridman, Yuval Semo and Ben Bachar, Zanzuri centers on Pini
Zanzuri, an average family man who suffers a heart attack at a surprise
party on his 40th birthday and discovers that every man in his family
has died of a heart failure at that same age. Pini comes to grips with
his fate in a very short time and decides to go for it, making a promise
to himself that he will use the time he has left to realize any dream or
fantasy he has ever had. Electus has set the format up in the U.S. with
Viacom's TV Land. Writer Jon Sherman (Frasier, Royal Pains) will write
and executive produce the adaptation.
About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman in partnership with IAC [NASDAQ: IACI], the company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus' programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.